Privacy Policy

Last Updated: July 7, 2025

Your privacy is a responsibility we take seriously at the Hutterite Farm Exchange (“we,” “us,” “our”). This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect from you, how we use and protect it, and your rights regarding your information when you use our website and services (the “Services”).

By using our Services, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.

1. Information We Collect

To provide and improve our Services, we collect the following types of information:

Personal Information You Provide to Us:
- Account Information: When you register for an account, we collect information such as your name, email address, phone number, password, and, if applicable, your colony name and position.
- Communications: We collect the information you provide when you communicate with us, such as through our contact form or email.
Information Created When You Use Our Services:
- Transactional Information: We collect details related to the listings you post and the orders you place, including product details, prices, and dates of transactions.
- Communications Between Users: We collect the messages sent between Buyers and Producers through our secure messaging system to ensure the safety and integrity of our platform.
- Usage Information: We collect information about how you interact with our Services, such as the pages you visit, the features you use, and the searches you make.
Information Collected Automatically:
- Log Data and Device Information: Like most websites, we may collect information that your browser sends whenever you visit our Service (“Log Data”). This may include your computer’s IP address, browser type, browser version, the pages of our Service that you visit, the time and date of your visit, and other statistics.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

To Provide and Maintain Our Services: To create and manage your account, facilitate transactions, and provide customer support.
To Facilitate Communication: To enable secure communication between Buyers and Producers.
To Improve Our Platform: To understand how our users interact with the Services so we can improve the user experience and develop new features.
For Safety and Security: To protect our platform and our users from fraud, spam, and abuse, and to enforce our Terms and Conditions.
To Communicate with You: To send you important notices about your account, transactions, and changes to our policies. If you opt-in, we may also send you updates about new products and featured producers.

3. How We Share Your Information

We are committed to maintaining your trust, and we do not sell your personal information to third-party marketers. We only share your information in the following limited circumstances:

Between Users: To complete a transaction, we share necessary information between the Buyer and Producer, such as the name or colony name associated with a listing or order. Your direct contact information (email, phone number) is not shared publicly.
With Service Providers: We may share your information with third-party companies that perform services on our behalf, such as web hosting and data analysis. These providers are obligated to protect your information and are not permitted to use it for their own purposes.
For Legal Reasons: We may disclose your information if we believe it is required by applicable law, regulation, legal process, or governmental request.

4. Data Security

We use administrative, technical, and physical security measures to help protect your personal information. While we have taken reasonable steps to secure the personal information you provide to us, please be aware that despite our efforts, no security measures are perfect or impenetrable, and no method of data transmission can be guaranteed against any interception or other type of misuse.

5. Your Rights and Choices

Accessing and Updating Your Information: You can review and change the information in your account at any time by logging into your account settings.
Email Communications: You can opt out of receiving promotional email updates from us at any time by following the unsubscribe link in the emails we send. You will still receive essential emails about your account and transactions.
Account Deletion: You may request to delete your account by contacting us. Please note that we may need to retain certain information for record-keeping purposes or to comply with our legal obligations.

6. Children’s Privacy

Our Services are not intended for use by anyone under the age of 18. We do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 18.

7. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Policy on this page and updating the “Last Updated” date. We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically for any changes.